- Hon Louise Upston
Disabled people and their carers will see further improvements to disability support services with a new community consultation, and work about to get underway to provide better support for family carers, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says.
"Disabled people, their carers and families deserve services that work well in everyday life," Louise Upston says.
"From 8 June to 31 July, Disability Support Services will be asking the disability community how we can further improve key service areas so they're more effective and responsive to the needs of disabled people and those who support them.
"Feedback from the community has already led to positive changes to flexible funding, needs assessments - including carers' needs - and making the system more fair, transparent, consistent, and sustainable.
"But we know there is more to do to.
"This consultation builds on what we have heard already from the disability community and focuses on what good support looks like in key areas the community has said matter most.
"It will ask for people's ideas on more flexible supports, better planning for life changes, outcomes that matter, better information and advice, making it easier to give feedback, and better respite options for carers."
Louise Upston says the feedback on respite options for carers will help shape a new support package for family carers.
"As part of this Government's focus on carers, I have asked DSS to work on a new package of financial and other support, giving more certainty and consistency for family carers. This could include a carer payment, improved respite options, and other practical support.
DSS currently supports disabled people to employ a family or whānau member using flexible funding.
"We are looking at better ways to support family carers than formal employment arrangements. These can be complex, difficult to administer and don't apply well to family care."
Louise Upston says feedback from this community consultation will shape wider improvements to strengthen disability support services, including the carer support package.
"This work will take time, and we want to get it right. There will be further engagement with carer groups and representatives to develop the carer support package.
"My priority is making sure we are fixing the basics of disability support and building a sustainable future which disabled people, their families and carers can rely on.
"Across my portfolios, I'm firmly focused on ensuring New Zealanders in the greatest need can access support. That's why it's so important we have a fair, clear and simple disability system in place.
"In recent Budgets, our Government has already committed a record investment of $2.1 billion of additional funding into the disability support system," Louise Upston says.
Editors Notes
The DSS community consultation is a separate and different process from the Government's DSS Bill currently going through Parliament.
- The DSS community consultation seeks input on focused service improvements in areas the disability community has told us matter most to them. Disabled people and those who support them can find out how to take part on the DSS website. www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/haveyoursay
- The Government's Bill sets a legislative framework for how Disability Support Service operates and what it does. Information about the Bill is on the Parliament website. Disability Support Services Bill
- The Carer Support Package will be developed with targeted engagement with carer groups and representatives. More information on this planned engagement will be available from DSS soon.
- www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/improving-dss/improving-support-for-family-carers
